Flight Attendant: The Glamorous Job

Being a flight attendant isn't as glamorous as we have perceived it to be, nonetheless I'd still choose it to be my profession. Most people are so prejudicial. When a woman works in a ship, she isn't as glorified compared to those who fly as a stewardess. "Glamour" is attached to those who are working in the sky but let me tell you that there's a lot of beliefs to broken, a lot of factors to be realized.

Back in college, me and my classmates would talk about how we'd want to be a flight attendant, earn a huge salary and travel the world for free. We were blinded by the thought of how easy it is to become one: having a pleasing personality, acceptable height and the willingness to serve passengers with a smile.

X Beauty as a Qualification

Whenever we see a clique of flight attendants walking in the airport, isn't it irresistible to turn our heads and follow their direction? They're all so pretty and sophisticated in their matching uniforms, luggage and crew bags. No wonder they're one of the airline's front liners.

After a few weeks of training, I've had several more reasons to look up to those women. You don't become an FA in an instant. You don't get hired because you're beautiful or tall nor because of Padrino System (though I've heard some who got away; they won't last anyway). They got the position because they're capable, willing, deserving and because they worked hard for it. I don't know with the other airlines but that's how it goes for the country's flag carrier.

I've been basing my statements with how we were taught in training. As I've mentioned before, we are supposed to meet PAL's very high standards in terms of passing our exams. Not just that, we're only allowed to fail twice or else we'll lose our lifelines and say good bye to the dreams that's almost within our grasp. 

What I'm trying to say is that those FAs passed a very rigid training which got them to where they are now. They're not just some pretty faces who were fortunate but I'm  definitely sure they have the brains and they know exactly what they are doing. PAL trained their attendants to be knowledgeable to know what needs to be done given different situations and act on it gracefully without losing composure.

X Glorified Waitresses

What do flight attendants really do? Most people think that FAs are just glorified waitresses because of their responsibility in serving food up there. I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but they're not. Yes, a part of their duty is to be a service provider but first and foremost they are your trusted security and safety professionals up there.

At a cruising altitude of 30,000 ft., there's nobody else to aid you except your dear FAs so I suggest that you do not think of them as glorified waitresses only. It's a very humbling and versatile profession. Nowadays, they're are expected to be the luggage handler, cleaner, psychologist, security guard, first aider, fire fighter, mid-wife, psychologist, tour guide, entertainer and so on and so forth as long as you're in-flight. 

The next time you see one, you should appreciate them more.

ICCT 13-06 with Ms. Divine

ICCT 13-06 with Ms. Roan

ICCT 13-06 with class adviser, Sir Arys Obeso

I'm grateful for our mentors: Ma'am Divine Divinagracia, Ma'am Roan Guanlao and Sir Arys Obeso. All the trainings and insights we got from them will all be remembered and treasured.

X Easy and Repetitive Job

It's a part of a flight attendant's job to look presentable: hair in a bun, well pressed uniforms, polished and un-chipped nails with full make up. They'd be picked up from home, fly to their destination, do the safety demo, serve passengers, get back to their jump seat, back to their domicile station then taken home by a service car. It goes on and on for the rest of their flying career.

It does sound easy and repetitive but it's not.

As I've mentioned above, ang mga flight attendant pang all-around na ngayon. Passengers would normally rely on cabin crews for their luggage; imagine 136 passengers (depending on the aircraft) relying on them for assistance and that's just for a one-way flight. 

Carrying heavy luggage often lead to back aches. FAs experience motion sickness and even breathing and skin problems due to working in a pressurized cabin. It's their duty to face hot tempered, irritated or even agitated passengers. In case of a strong turbulence, they're there to reassure you with a smile even though they are already scared for themselves. Since they fly all the time, they are always far from home and most of the time they'd miss special occasions because FAs do not have holidays.

It's really not that easy but it becomes a lighter job for those who enjoy it.

Based from what our mentors taught us, the word repetitive never even crossed my mind. It's always exciting to try new things and with this profession, new is an old word. FAs get to visit different places, experience different cultures, meet different kinds of people and work with different set of crews.

The only repetitive thing is the flight routine (e.g. safety demo, service, smiling and greeting. . .) but of course it's a part of their duty.

Repetition is a part of specialization. Cabin crews are on top of what they're doing because they have done it over and over again.

     

Would you still like to have this glamorous job? Share your thought :)

-Pau